Doha – Nearly 80% of Moroccans labeled homosexuality as deviant and expressed total rejection of LGBT people, according to Afrobarometer’s 2024 survey released Wednesday. Only 2.5% voiced any degree of acceptance. The data lays bare Morocco’s firm societal rejection of non-conforming sexual identities and gender expressions.
Religious identity remains overwhelmingly uniform: 99.9% of respondents identified as Muslim, while only 0.1% declared themselves atheist. In a country where Islam is both cultural and institutional, these figures place Morocco among the world’s most religiously uniform societies, where secular or non-religious identities are virtually invisible.
Meanwhile, digital connectivity is high: over 96% own a mobile phone, and 80% access the internet. Additionally, 58% report having personal bank accounts.
81.5% feel no connection to any political party
The survey also revealed deep political disillusionment. Over 81% of Moroccans feel no connection to any political party, with only 9% expressing party affiliation. Trust in political institutions remains low, with parties barely reaching 15% approval ratings.
Current Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch faces serious disapproval, with 37.9% reporting complete distrust and 32.2% rejecting his performance outright.
The report also shows 44% of Moroccans believe the government has failed to improve conditions for the poor. About 36.1% rated the government’s job creation efforts as “very poor,” while 42.4% gave the same rating for price stabilization efforts.
Corruption allegations further undermine confidence, with 45% of citizens believing most parliamentarians are involved in corrupt practices.
The death penalty maintains strong support, with 70.4% of Moroccans backing its use for serious crimes like murder. Only 25% believe no crime justifies capital punishment.
The judiciary, however, maintains relatively high public confidence, with over 68% of Moroccans placing complete trust in the courts.
On international relations, approximately 60% support Morocco’s neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Only 5% believe Morocco should back Russia against Ukraine.
The survey also revealed that 55% of Moroccans have never considered emigrating. However, among those who have, economic factors dominate their motivation – 22.1% cite better job opportunities and 5.3% seek broader business prospects abroad.
When it comes to reproductive rights, 33.6% hold that abortion is justified when pregnancy threatens a woman’s health. However, 33% reject abortion even in cases of rape or incest, and 56% oppose it when financial difficulties are cited as the reason.
Regarding civic participation, 76% of citizens want their opinions considered before public policies are formulated, pushing back against unilateral decision-making.
Looking ahead to upcoming legislative elections, 34.1% of respondents indicated they won’t vote. Among decided voters, support is fragmented: 4% for the Istiqlal Party, 3.8% each for the Justice and Development Party (PJD) and Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), and just 3.2% for the National Rally of Independents (RNI).
Read also: Multidimensional Poverty Drops in Morocco, But Rural Inequalities Persist
